Craig and Phoebe take Scottish surfing titles in ‘once-in-a-decade conditions’

Surfers and spectators enjoyed “once-in-a-decade conditions” at a national competition in Caithness at the weekend.

There were big waves and sunny skies throughout the 2024 Scottish National Surfing Championships at Thurso East, prompting the women’s open champion Phoebe Strachan to declare: “You literally couldn’t have asked for better.”

Strachan (28) took first place in the women’s contest for the fourth time in a row and the fifth time in all, while 18-year-old Craig McLachlan won the men’s title for a second successive year and the third time altogether. Both are members of Thurso-based North Shore Surf Club (NSSC).

Jason Simpson, a Scottish Surfing Federation (SFF) director and chairman of NSSC, said: “The competition was held in once-in-a-decade conditions with overhead surf and beautiful weather.”

Marcelle Lockhart, administrative and organisational assistant for the SSF, said: “We were so lucky with the weather and waves this year. The standard of surfing just gets better and better.”

Report and more pictures – page 23

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